Tissue regeneration has been accomplished by using extracellular matrix (ECM) material derived from various mammalian tissues. Some of these mammalian tissues that have been described in patent literature include small intestine submucosa (SIS), liver basement membrane (LBM), urinary bladder submucosa (UBS) and stomach submucosa (SS). See U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,389, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,508 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,422. Enamel matrices, which are the extracellular matrix around forming teeth, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,611.
Extracellular matrices from these tissues have been isolated and dried to become solid materials (sheets and particulates). Particulate forms can be rehydrated in a suitable buffer to become fluidized or emulsive forms.
Single and multi-sheet laminate structures comprising ECM are presently employed for tissue grafting, wound healing, and tissue regenerative purposes.
A drawback of the conventional single and multi-sheet structures is that they have limited capability to disperse a bioactive or pharmacological agent or composition therefrom.
It would thus be desirable to provide ECM based graft structures that are capable of controlled dispersal of bioactive and pharmacological agents and compositions therefrom.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide ECM based graft structures that are capable of controlled dispersal of bioactive and pharmacological agents and compositions therefrom.
It is another object of the present invention to provide ECM based graft structures that are capable of administering a bioactive and pharmacological agents and compositions to host tissue and, thereby produce a desired biological and/or therapeutic effect.
It is another object of the present invention to provide ECM based graft structures that can effectively replace or improve biological functions or promote the growth of new tissue in a subject.
It is another object of the present invention to provide ECM based graft structures that induce host tissue proliferation, bioremodeling and regeneration of new tissue and tissue structures with site-specific structural and functional properties.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vascular grafts that are capable of administering a pharmacological agent to host tissue and, thereby produce a desired biological and/or therapeutic effect.